Lawmakers Still Just Don’t Get It,Pork Wins Over Troops

Washington, DC (March 29, 2007) - The National Commander of The American Legion Paul A. Morin again voiced his organization's strong opposition to the passage of the modified FY 2007 Defense Emergency Supplemental Appropriations request which also barely passed in the Senate.

Today a slim majority in the U.S. Senate pushed through an ill-advised $123 billion Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill for FY 2007. Last week a similar bill passed in the House of Representatives by only six votes.

Initially, the president, as commander in chief, submitted an emergency spending request to continue the military mission in Afghanistan and Iraq calling for approximately $93.4 billion.

Although the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health and Iraq Accountability Act passed by the Senate today contains billions of dollars in non-defense related funding, The American Legion’s principle objection to the bill is the provision that sets a deadline with regard to the conduct of the Global War on Terror, and ties the hands of battlefield commanders over troop movements.

“I don’t understand what is so hard about passing a clean bill for the good of our troops,” Morin said. “What’s good for the troops is NOT setting timelines. What’s good for the troops is giving them the funding they need immediately. What’s good for the troops is supporting our troops through action not words. What’s good for the troops is letting the real generals run the war. Like the House, the Senate has filled this emergency supplemental with non-emergency pet pork projects,” Morin explained.

Rather than allowing the commander in chief, military leaders on the ground, and the young men and women in harm’s way to fight and win, 51 senators want to direct the war from the halls of Congress.“Anyone that has ever competed in anything knows that you do not hand your strategy to your opponent in advance,” said Morin. “That is the formula for disaster.

“We all know the fastest way to lose a war is to quit,” Morin said. “Well, the House and Senate just gave the entire world our game plan wrapped in red, white, and blue ribbons!

“I applaud the fact that Congress recognized the need to add $1.7 billion for veterans’ health care and to remove Walter Reed Army Medical Center from the base closure list,” noted Morin. “But placing benchmarks and timelines on the military leadership will do much more harm than good.”

Founded in 1919, the 2.7 million-member American Legion is the nation’s preeminent service organization for veterans of the U.S. armed forces, including active duty, National Guard and Reserves, and their families. A powerful voice for veterans in Washington, The American Legion drafted the original GI Bill and was instrumental in establishing the agency that today is the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

­